Percabeth's Child: Children of Olympus Book #1

Chapter Two: I Do the Hardest Thing Known to Man, er, Womankind

CHAPTER TWO: I Do The Hardest Thing Known to Man, er, Womankind

ANNABETH

A goddess. She, Annabeth Jackson, a goddess. Sure, she had imagined it before, fantasized, but she never actually thought the day would come.

Once she got over the initial shock of being offered immortality, and was safely back home in her office staring at three dimensional models of old Greek buildings, she began to realize how sick she felt. A wave a nausea had her suddenly sprinting to the bathroom down the hall.

Was she sick? She didn't think demigods could catch normal, mortal viruses. But something was definitely wrong.

Then a thought occurred to here and her heart dropped as fear swept over her. With shaky hands, she pulled a box of pregnancy tests out from the cupboard. Piper had bought them when she was a few days late on her period and had totally freaked out, even though nothing was actually wrong.

She did the test quickly and anxiously looked at the result.

It was positive.

She was pregnant.

***

After hyperventilating in the bathroom for a few minutes, Annabeth took a deep shaky breath and stood up. She splashed water on her face and dashed out of the bathroom quickly, hoping to get to her office without anyone seeing her. She slammed the door shut behind her and sat down in her chair as if she were going to work on her computer, but she wasn't. She had much more important matters to attend to.

If only there were a blueprint on how to tell your husband you were pregnant. Annabeth could deal with that. But there wasn't, and she was scared.

Would Percy want a child? Would he get mad? Would he leave her?

That's when she thought of her mother. Athena probably already knew; she had probably been watching Annabeth the whole time.

Oh, gods. Were all of the Olympians watching her? Would they take back their offer of immortality when they saw how she freaked out?

Someone knocked on the door. "Annabeth?" Percy's voice called. "Are you okay in there? I heard some pretty disgusting noises coming from the bathroom. Is something wrong?"

"Wrong?" I squeaked in a supposed-to-be-calm voice that came out way too high pitched. I wasn't ready to tell him, not yet. "Why would something be wrong?"

"Yep, something's definitely wrong," I could hear Percy say as he burst in the door. "Are you sick? If there's anything I can-" he stopped when he saw here face, which was still red, blotchy and wet from her meltdown in the bathroom. "Annabeth, what's wrong?" Percy rushed to her side, cradling her head in his hands and making her look him in the eyes. "Is it about this morning? Don't you want to become a Goddess?"

"Yes, but-"

"We can decline their offer if you want."

"No, it's okay, I just-"

"I would be with you the whole time, you know. Still, I understand if you don't want that responsibility, I'd gladly step down with you-"

"PERCY!"

He jumped about a foot away, startled. "I'm sorry, did I say something wrong? Please don't be mad-"

"Perseus Jackson, I am not mad at you, but I will be if you don't shut up and listen," she said forcefully.

"Yeah, sorry," Percy blushed. The way he was acting so concerned had calmed Annabeth down a bit; she was starting to realize that the fear of him leaving her was rather silly. She took a deep breath to calm herself down as she opened her mouth to speak.

"I have some news. Big news. Are you ready?"

"Of course. Talk away," Percy said eagerly, not realizing the weight of the situation.

"Percy, I'm,we're, well... you're going to be a father," she mumbled the last part quickly, forcing the words out of her mouth. Percy seemed to understand, though, as his eyes widened to the size of meatballs. "I'm pregnant."

"Oh, Annabeth, I-" he didn't look angry, just shocked. Very shocked. So shocked, that he ran out of the room at that moment.

She put her elbows on the desk and rested her head in her hands. Percy and Annabeth hadn't been trying to have children, though she didn't see why it would be a thing. They were twenty-two, married for two years, and done with their monster fighting days. They would be immortal before Annabeth gave birth, so the baby probably would be, too. She had nothing to worry about.

Except her mother. What would she think? It seemed like she had begun to accept Percy a little more at their wedding. Would that change now that he had gotten her pregnant?

Her thoughts were interrupted by another knock at the door. She hoped it was Percy coming back to apologize or something.

But it wasn't. It was Piper. "Can I come in?"

"Now's not a good time," Annabeth replied, not wanting to tell her the secret just yet.

"You don't sound so good," Piper said in a voice that was too sweet. "Are you sure you don't want someone to talk to?"

"Fine, come in," Annabeth heard her voice say, though she wasn't sure why she said it.

Then it occurred to her that it was Piper speaking. Piper speaking with her charmspeak, that is. As much as liked Piper, it seriously annoyed her when she used charmspeak. It seemed that even though Annabeth knew what Piper was doing, her body did what Piper asked anyway. Annabeth knew Piper was just trying to help, but still. If she had wanted help, she would have told Piper she could come in in the first place.

"I'm sorry for butting in, it's just that I saw Percy running out the door, and since, you know, I'm the daughter of Aphrodite and all, I can tell something isn't right in your relationship. I can-" but Piper stopped in mid-sentence, just like Percy, when she saw Annabeth's face. Annabeth wasn't one to cry at most things, but currently her face showed clearly that she had shed more than a few tears.

"Oh, Annabeth, what happened? Percy didn't... break up with you?" she asked gently, charmspeak gone.

"No," she sniffled, "At least, I hope not. But I don't think so. It's just-" Annabeth hesitated. Should she tell Piper? She didn't want everyone to know the secret. Not until her stomach started showing it, at least.

"It's just what, Annabeth?" Piper questioned so sincerely, so softly, without any hint of charmspeak in her voice, that Annabeth couldn't help but confide in her friend.

"Well... I'm pregnant."

Piper's eyes brightened and she threw her arms around Annabeth. "Congratulations! That's amazing!" Annabeth was glad that Piper hadn't run out of the room like Percy. She was sure he'd come back, but it felt good to have someone there to comfort her, not run away.

A small smile formed on Annabeth's face. Now that she thought about it, she was looking forward to being a mother. She would have a little, adorable child all to herself; well, herself and Percy.

"You're going to be a mother!" Piper couldn't seem to get over it. "I'm sure Percy will come back soon. He just needs to take it all in." Annabeth was reassured by Piper saying that. She trusted the daughter of the Goddess of Love when it came to relationships.

Piper gave Annabeth one last squeeze before getting up and straightening her shirt. "Good luck, Annabeth. I won't tell a soul, not even Jason, until you're ready."

"Thanks," Annabeth said sincerely, "Oh, and Piper?" She added as Piper was almost out the door.

"Yeah?"

"I'd really appreciate if you didn't use charmspeak on me anymore."

Piper blushed. "I'm so sorry," she apologized, and she looked like she truly was.

"It's okay," Annabeth grinned as Piper walked out the door.